New cemetery added – Hanmer Springs

What does a taphophile do on a birthday trip to Hanmer Springs? Yes, that’s right, she finds the local cemetery and spends a few hours recording it!

Ross / McKay gravestones at Hanmer Springs Cemetery

How could I resist? A lovely Autumn day, time on my hands and an understanding husband armed with Sudoku on his phone meant I was able record 75% of Hanmer Springs Cemetery last weekend. Unfortunately my batteries didn’t quite have the staying power that I did so I will need to return to finish the task, which is no hardship with the hot pools to relax in afterwards.

If there’s one thing I love it’s uncovering a mysterious gravestone. In the case of Hanmer it’s the mysterious “W A Wattse” – the earliest burial I found in the cemetery. Except, there are no records for a “W A Wattse” to be found. That’s because, I discovered, his name is actually “John W A Watts” and I’ll tell you more about him, and his unfortunate demise, in a Headstone Histories article in due course.

In the meantime keep checking back as Hanmer Springs listings are added over the coming week.

Hi Helen, Heard you this afternoon on National Radio. I especially waited to go out till after I heard your slot. Your site also featured this past month in the Newsletter for the Papakura Branch NZSG. Margaret